A malformed four-nerve daisy bud

Among the four-nerve daisies (Tetraneuris linearifolia) that I photographed on Bluegrass Dr. on January 29th, I noticed one bud that had folded in on itself in an unnatural way that I’d never seen in this species and that might have been an instance of fasciation. If you’d like, you can compare the way a four-nerve daisy bud normally opens. You can also click the fasciation tag below to scroll down through previous posts showing other afflicted species.

Despite the fuzziness and other differences, when I first saw this, the shape reminded me of the seed capsule of the rain lily. I suppose it’s the way it’s so neatly tucked up there at the top of the stem.

Once I’d looked at the properly-opening bud, I remembered the discussion of merlons and crenels, and could see the crenellation here. From a different perspective, it looks rather like hair done up in a French twist. Did you happen to go back, to see if it ever opened properly?

No, I never did go back, and if I tried to check now I could probably find the spot but I don’t know if the bud would still be there.

I can see the high-up-on-a-stalk-ness that reminded you of a rain-lily, even if that’s smooth and this is hairy. Speaking of rain-lilies, the best colony of them that I relied upon for photographs these last few years has become a construction site alongside Mopac. I’ve been wondering to what extent (if at all) the colony will spring back up once construction ends. The project was supposed to have been completed this past fall but is already a year and a half behind schedule.

Hey Steve I checked out those links .. So interesting. I have never heard of fasciation before but I have seen it in my garden. Wow .. How interesting to see the four nerve daisy open as it should. Love nature 😃

So you experienced a fascination with fasciation even before you knew there was a name for it. I want to say that the phenomenon isn’t common and yet it’s not uncommon either.

And speaking of common, the four-nerve daisy is small and probably many people don’t pay attention to it, yet it’s quite common here and can be found flowering for much of the year. A look through a macro lens adds to the appreciation of this wildflower, as you saw from the view of the way it opens.